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The Role of Soil Health in Sustainable Agriculture 

By Emily Skivington and Lydiah Gatere

Previously, we have discussed the importance of soil health for agriculture, highlighting its threats and outlining protection strategies. In this blog, we dig deeper into the role of soil health in sustainable agriculture and explore its long-term benefits.  

With almost half the world’s surface used for agriculture, it is vital that the land on which crops are grown is sustainable for future generations.  

Soil as the foundation of sustainable agriculture 

Healthy soil has rich biodiversity, including different organisms such as bacteria and fungi, as well as animals like insects and worms. It enables consistent crop productivity without over-reliance on external inputs. This is because soils rich in organic matter, and microorganisms which break down organic materials, make nutrients available to plants. These processes reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers as nutrients are available within the soil.

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